In Canada, there seems to be growing affection for the Pittsburgh Penguins, all the way from the Rock to the Island.
Fans say they love Pittsburgh’s speed, its skill, its ability to score and the attack method that it uses all over the ice. They say they love Sid the Kid and “that Fleury guy in goal,” and they really like the fact that the Pens think offence before defence.
No doubt, the Penguins are fun to watch and on Sunday they proved they are pretty damn good, too.
The Pens eliminated the Philadelphia Flyers in five games in the Eastern Conference final after recording an impressive 6-0 victory at old Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh.
Ryan Malone led the way with two goals and an assist, Marian Hossa had a goal and three assists, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal each scored once and Sidney Crosby dished out two assists. Meanwhile, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury had to make only 21 saves to get the shutout. Fleury, by the way, is 22-4-1 since late November.
The Penguins outshot Philly 25-21 and controlled the pace of the game as Pittsburgh moved on to the Stanley Cup final for the first time since last winning the Stanley Cup in 1992. The Penguins won the Cup in both 1991 and 1992 (Winnipeg Metis star, Jamie Leach, played on both of those teams) and this year, reached the final by losing only two games along the way (12-2). The Pens are 10-0 in the playoffs this year when they score first.
I had an opportunity this past week to talk to ex-Flyer sniper — and the offensive heart of the old Broad Street Bullies — Reggie (The Riverton Rifle) Leach, about his old team. He wasn’t very impressed.
These days, Reggie spends his summers in Delaware running his landscaping business and his winters on Little Current First Nation in Ontario where he’s the player personnel director and head coach of the Northern Ontario Hockey League’s Manitoulin Islanders. But he always watches his Flyers — even though it’s starting to sound as if he’s adopted a new team.
He had this to say about the Penguins-Flyers series: “Man, I’m still a Flyer at heart, but it was hard watching them in the Eastern final.
“I just don’t think they played up to par. Pittsburgh has so many weapons that when one guy doesn’t show up, they have all sorts of other guys who pick up the slack. Because Pittsburgh is as big and tough as they are, Philadelphia’s big, tough guys might just as well have stayed home.”
Because of his coaching job, Leach admits that he now watches NHL games like an NHL coach. He’s always checking out systems, both defenisve and offensive, and he believes Pittsburgh has the best.
“This is the first time in a lot of years that I’ve watched every game and it’s because I’m coaching again,” The Rifle said. “I love the Flyers, but what I’ve noticed is that Pittsburgh plays with every guy. Philadelphia is relying on 10 guys and you can’t do that. You need everybody.
“Pittsburgh really moves the puck and attacks all the time. And Philly can’t blame their goaltenders. The goalies have been great. But Pittsburgh just has too much offence and they use all their tools. I love the way they play and I think they have a chance to go a long, long way.”
So, too, Reg, do your colleagues and a growing number of Canadian hockey fans.
Fact is, if the Red Wings don’t get it together soon, the Pens might just get to hockey’s Holy Grail without cracking a sweat.